Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 294

‘Oh dear. What was I thinking?’

Lee Han quickly thought, *Oh dear. What was I thinking?* Valdrogard might be comfortable, but…

Valdrogard was a bit more comfortable than Einrogard. But this did not mean their wizards were better.

Wizards who graduated from Valdrogard could also be outstanding wizards.

Besides, Doin was a graduate.

Lee Han, a first-year student, couldn’t underestimate him.

Asan whispered, his face full of determination, “Wodanaz. I’m ready.”

Raetford whispered, equally determined, “Lord Wodanaz. Tell me when you need a pickpocket.”

The back of the hall buzzed with activity. Servants quickly cleared tables, the scraping of chairs echoing on the stone floor as people made space to watch the magic. Excitement filled the air.

“Raetford,” Lee Han said, “This is just to test the magic. Not a duel.”

“But wouldn’t it be easier if the opponent’s wand disappeared?” Raetford asked.

Asan perked up at those words.

Lee Han said firmly, “If you do that, things will get too noisy and strange. Just use magic.”

“But Wodanaz, we don’t know what kind of magic the opponent will use,” Asan said.

It was not a duel, but a place to show the wizard’s skills.

Usually, one side would present a difficult problem, and the other side would solve it with magic, instead of clashing with full-force magic.

This time, the Valdrogard wizard, Doin, would present the test, and Lee Han and his friends would solve it.

“There’s no need to worry too much. We’re first-years, after all. The opponent will consider that when setting the test. It would make them look foolish and disrespectful if they made it too hard.”

They wouldn’t come to the Dalcard family’s mansion and humiliate a Dalcard family wizard. That would backfire.

“So don’t worry about unnecessary things, and focus on not making any silly mistakes. Got it?” Lee Han asked.

Asan nodded.

Raetford also nodded.

“Just in case…” Raetford started.

“I told you, I’m not stealing anything,” Lee Han said.

“Yes, sir.”

Compared to Lee Han and his friends’ dislike of Valdrogard, Doin didn’t dislike Einrogard.

Of course, he was a little envious of Einrogard, which was known as the Empire’s best magic school.

However, Doin loved Valdrogard, his alma mater, even more.

-The people of the Empire are stuck in their ways, but if they really knew how to see properly, they would think that Valdrogard is the most excellent and outstanding magic school!

If Lee Han or other Einrogard wizards heard that, they would immediately want a duel, but that’s what Doin thought.

Doin wasn’t worried about how to humiliate the Einrogard students, but how to help them save face.

‘Asan of the Dalcard family is a boy with a good reputation, and the other one is from the Wodanaz family, so they wouldn’t make any ridiculous mistakes, right?’

Showing magical skill in a place like this was like a game.

The person giving the test had to make sure the other side could pass.

What if they gave a test that was too hard or from a school of magic that the other side didn’t know?

The atmosphere would turn ice-cold.

And the wizard who gave the test would be treated poorly by the Dalcard family and everyone related to that family for a while.

It was a terrible thought.

‘What kind of test would be good…?’

Doin worried about what kind of test he should give so the students could pass easily, and so the people in the room could admire it.

“What kind of magic are you three interested in?” Doin asked.

“I’m interested in divination magic,” Asan said.

“I’m interested in illusion magic,” Raetford said.

“I… um… I haven’t decided yet,” Lee Han said.

Even wizards who had trained in magic for over ten years changed schools as needed, so it wasn’t surprising that a wizard who hadn’t learned magic for very long hadn’t decided on a school.

Doin didn’t notice the two students looking at Lee Han with embarrassment.

‘I should pick the easiest magic from illusion magic and divination magic.’

After thinking carefully, Doin waved his wand.

“Illusion, transform into chains of the elements.”

One of the best things about illusion magic was that it looked flashy.

It might sound like a joke, but this was very important.

When most people watched magic, they didn’t see the mysterious flow of magical power or the deep meaning behind it. They just looked at what they could see.

Because of that, black magic users were digging through graves because they couldn’t find anyone to support them, while illusion magic users could do their research comfortably with money from nobles.

That was clear today as well. As illusion magic sparkled in the hall, people applauded and cheered.

‘Isn’t it too slow?’ Lee Han thought.

Doin’s casting speed was too slow compared to the magic school professors.

Of course, Doin would say, ‘If I could cast faster than the Einrogard professors, I would be a professor,’ but it still looked slow.

Shimmer!

“Do you see these illusionary chains? They are connected to the handcuffs on my wrists,” Doin said.

“We see them, Lord Doin!” the audience responded.

Doin raised his wrists to show the illusionary handcuffs and chains.

The illusionary chains stretched to the floor and were connected to four illusionary pillars.

“If you cast the right element on the pillars, the chains will be released. I wonder if the wizards of Einrogard will be able to rescue me! Please support them!”

More applause and cheers.

Doin was better at showmanship and entertaining people than magical skill.

He was a wizard who was popular at parties. Lee Han was also impressed.

‘Is that how you become popular when a wizard goes to a party?’

It was educational.

While Lee Han was thinking that he should try to copy it later, Asan whispered with a worried voice, “Wodanaz. Do you think we can solve it on the first try?”

“We don’t *have* to, do we? It’s just a puzzle,” Lee Han said.

Doin’s illusion magic was like a game. Four glowing pillars were linked to his wrists by silver chains that seemed to float in the air. To free him, they needed to cast the right element at each pillar.

“But…” Asan’s voice trembled slightly. “My older brother and sister are watching. What if we mess up? What will they say?”

Lee Han raised an eyebrow. “Then maybe you should tell them to relax and let you learn?”

Asan’s face crumpled, and he shook his head miserably. Tears welled up in his eyes. Lee Han clicked his tongue softly. *Being from a noble family is tough,* he thought.

‘Just because they were born a few years earlier, they have to be treated so unfairly.’

Usually, these things were solved through trial and error, but they were so worried about what others thought.

Lee Han didn’t say anything more.

If there were good things about being from a great noble family, there were also bad things. It wasn’t something that others should comment on.

“There is a way to solve it on the first try, though,” Lee Han said.

“How?” Asan asked.

“By breaking it with force,” Lee Han said.

Lee Han explained how to solve it, which he had learned from the illusion magician, Baldororn.

Instead of figuring out the illusion magic and finding its weaknesses, you could just destroy the illusion magic itself by using a lot of magic power.

“Is that possible?” Asan asked.

“Of course, it might not be possible. Magic with a strong structure can withstand it,” Lee Han said.

“No. Wodanaz. I mean, can you release that much magic power?” Asan asked, surprised.

The theory made sense. With that much magic power, the magic would have to break.

But could he really use that much magic power?

“It doesn’t need that much. With this much…” Lee Han held up his wand and released a little magic power to show Asan.

Crack!

Even though it didn’t hit directly, the illusionary chain cracked and broke.

The other chains and the handcuffs also broke.

Bzzzt!

Lee Han was embarrassed, and so was Asan.

Doin was also embarrassed.

‘What…!?’

He told them to solve the illusion puzzle, but they suddenly smashed it with one wave of their wand. He was surprised.

‘What did they do? It didn’t look like they were casting any magic? Surely they didn’t break it with brute force. Did Einrogard teach them magic that I don’t know?’

Doin reacted first.

“Excellent! Excellent! Everyone saw it! The wizards of Einrogard have broken the magic!”

The guests applauded in amazement.

Some people who knew a little about magic tilted their heads, but they applauded anyway.

Because it was solved well!

‘That was a surprise,’ Doin thought.

The Einrogard students had acted unexpectedly, so he almost reacted too late.

If he had made a mistake, the atmosphere would have become cold…

“Lord Doin! Show us one more!” someone shouted.

Lee Han and Doin were both surprised.

A slightly drunk person shouted excitedly, “When else would we see this kind of magic!”

“That’s right!”

“Seeing the magic shown by the best wizards in the Empire is amazing!”

Excited people wanted to see more.

Doin realized it, but it was too late. Everyone was excited.

“G… good. Then for the next magic…” Doin said, tensing up.

The people were just raising their glasses and shouting ‘One more!’ because it wasn’t their problem, but Doin’s mouth was dry.

He couldn’t give a test that was the same or easier than before. It had to be a little more difficult.

It had to be easy for the people to understand, and it had to be a test where the students could make a mistake and still be okay.

Also, he had to remember that the students might have used a lot of magic power, so they could run out in the middle…

“Are you tired or dizzy?” Lee Han asked.

“No. I’m fine,” Doin said.

“I’m fine too,” Lee Han said.

“…Good. Then for the next magic…”

Bang!

As Lee Han closed his eyes and dodged the fourth illusionary monster, then broke it, the people cheered again.

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap-

‘Ah, no,’ Doin thought, surprised.

He had been regretting the magic he had just used, thinking, ‘This is a disaster! I made it too difficult!’

But they solved it so easily.

A noble sitting nearby asked with a worried expression, “Lord Doin. Even if they are wizards from Einrogard, they are still first-year students, so it’s too difficult…”

“There’s no need to worry! They are solving it so well!” Doin said.

“Next magic! Show us the next magic!”

The people were very excited because Lee Han and his friends were solving it too well.

Doin thought, ‘It’s chaotic because they’re too good! Just be good enough!’

He didn’t know how long he would have to keep using magic.

He had to stop it soon…!